Freuds Civilization and its Discontents

Civilization and its Discontents

By Sigmund Freud

The title `Das Unbehagen in der Kultur ' by Freud itself carries deeper meaning than the title itself . If we begin to translate the title and flip-flop the words , we will find there is more to it in the real meaning of the title . The words that immediate comes up in our mind are The Uneasiness in Culture ' or The Discomfort in Culture , and immediately we begin to realize Freud is talking something about the problems with our culture or some certain apprehensions that we face

br against our culture . Freud understood the dilemma faced by the humans who are basically aggressive in nature , which is in itself could be very destabilizing and impulsive , but he also maintained that the main thrust of the human society lies in his maintaining the balance between eros (the libido ) and thanatos (the death-drive ) and between love and aggression . In the world of today and even since generations , it is this balance that man has not been able to maintain and will not be able to maintain in the future too . The following essay will trace on the various complexities being involved by humans in trying to maintain this balance and the reason behind why individuals feel constant strife in maintaining this balance

Sigmund Freud , the greatest philosopher and man of many dispositions has captured many psychological facets of our human lives and `Das Unbehagen in der Kultur ' is one of his best works of human endeavors and what man has made out of himself in the process of creating civilizations

`Das Unbehagen in der Kultur ' is a German translation of Freud 's deep study of human civilization and the role of individuals in the so-called civilized world . It was written in 1929 and first translated and published in Germany in 1930 . Freud analyzed the tensions continuously disturbing human psychology in his dealing with the expectations and requirements of his own created civilizations

There is always a conflict between the man 's natural instinct and ego creating discontentment in man 's relationship with civilization . One of the greatest tensions that man is exposed to is the concept of Love your brother as you love yourself : it not only contradicts the main fundamental instinct nature of aggression but is also very difficult to put into practice . Freud 's theoretical proposition revolves around the basic question that what would happen when individuals neither are adjusting nor want to adjust or coordinate their instinct desires with the demands of society . And in this statement lies the most paradoxical situation because man is a social animal and each man on this earth is dependent on the other even for his basic existence . If the balance is disturbed then the whole meaning of civilization loses ground

The birth of civilization is rooted in the individual , whose ego instinct is helping to generate maximum happiness for himself and to gain this happiness , he needs society and civilization . As opined by Freud , many of the roots...